5 Things You Should Do After Your Job Interview.

There are few industries where an applicant gets a job offer after one interview alone, therefore preparing for a potential second interview should begin the minute you get home from the first interview. Details of the interview will be fresh in your mind so rather than slumping into a reactive mode become proactive and begin preparations for a 2nd interview.

1. Write notes about any areas of the job that the interviewer focused on.

The interviewer will be feeding this information back to the Hiring Manager and should you be called for a second interview your note-taking will provide you with a fair idea of what element of your resume or job spec that will be scrutinized in the 2nd interview, so have answers ready to clarify these points and you will be on your way to a successful interview.

2. Send a Thank-You note.

Irrespective of how well you thought your interview went, be courteous and thank the company for their time and reiterate your interest in the job.

3. Practice your interviewing skills.

Following your interview you will be aware of the type of questions that you didn’t respond well to, the have been behavioral questions such as “Give me an example of when you had to deal with a sensitive issue in your job?” or structured interview questions such as “Where do you see yourself being in 3 years?”. Spend time practicing in order to give a confident complete interview next time around.

4. Reflect on whether it is the job for you.

If after the 1st interview you decide that you don’t think the role is what you want that’s fine, however if it is a job you truly want jot down the criteria needed for you to accept the position. Having this information in your mind will help you give a more productive 2nd interview.

5. Write down the negatives and positives of the job.

You will have a much clearer picture of both the position and the company themselves following the 1st interview. Should you be selected for 2nd interview you can be forthcoming with any perceived problems with the job and see if they can resolved and turned into positives.

Attention to detail can be the trump card when it comes to successful job interviews, remember that job interviews are as much about listening as they are about talking and remember that preparation doesn’t end once the interview is over.

5 Cliches To Avoid During A Job Interview

Knowing what to say and what not say in a job interview is important so it is key that you do not provide tired old cliches that you can bet the interviewer hears time and time again. The fear of having the interviewer think you have not prepared correctly and are on auto-pilot in effect will have a damaging effect on your interview success-rate so with that in mind let us look at 5 of the most oft-used cliches used in interviews.

1. At the end of the day.

Sporting heroes are to blame for this overused cliche, but you are in an interview so omit it from your vocabulary for the duration of your discussions.

2. I’m task-oriented (or multi-tasked).

Stating the obvious will do you no favors when being interviewed so choose different expressions that reflect on the specific tasks that are related to the interview.

3. I think outside the box.

In business-speak terms this phrase is up there with the most annoyingly common cliches used in interviews. You will be better served providing examples of how you dealt with certain situations that prove you have the know-how to get things done.

4. My resume speaks for itself

No matter how qualified you think you are displaying cockiness will harm your chances of getting the job. The interviewer will have read your resume and knows exactly what is in it so use the interview as a chance to sell yourself, your strengths and your personality not your resume.

5. This is a company I really admire.

The recruiter will think “I bet he/her says that about every company when interviewing” instead provide a reason/example of why it is a company you admire otherwise don’t mention it at all.

A proactive, vibrant interview will do your chances of getting a job the world of good, so eradicate these annoying cliches from you vocabulary and look forward to interview joy.

Information That A Job Offer Letter Contains.

If your resume was selected for interview and you then gave a winning interview, what happens next? You wait anxiously for your offer letter to arrive so you can absorb the details of the job and look forward to a new phase in your career. An offer letter can be accompanied by an employment contract or in some cases may be sent in advance of a full contract until references have been secured. Depending on the role, size of the company, the industry and other variables you may not receive one but if you do expect it to contain;

Job title.
You need to be sure that you are accepting the role that you initially applied for so be sure the correct job title is described.

Start-date.
Ensure that the date proposed on the offer letter fits in with any notice period that you may have a duty to fulfill in your current company.

Time to commence work on opening day.
Arriving late on day one will not make a good impression so be sure to fond out the appropriate starting time for your position.

Reporting details.
Expect your offer letter to provide the name and job-title of the person that you should report to.

Salary & benefits.
Ensure the salary proposed on the offer letter tallies with any offer verbally agreed.  As with salary you can expect to see most of the company benefits described in the offer letter.  Examples of benefits include bonuses, company cars, relocation expenses amongst others.

Vacation time.
Details of vacation time is regularly displayed in the offer letter along with the employment contract.

Offer letters that are deemed as full employment contracts will often contain a more formal approach outlining company policies and procedures etc. Often companies have mandatory drug screenings, if this is the case then expect that to be mentioned in your offer letter. Be sure to check that all compensations, be they salary or otherwise, that were verbally agreed in your job offer is mentioned in the offer letter.

Should you be in any way unsure about any aspect of your offer letter don’t be afraid call the HR Dept you will usually find they are only too glad assist in your queries.

How To Answer 3 Tricky Interview Questions

Interviewers generally do not ask questions to purposely have candidates tripping over themselves in their answers however they do have a responsibility to find whether you are the most-suited person for the role therefore probing questions are often asked. I’m sure you have all heard the old saying that “it’s not the questions that are hard, it’s the answers”, bearing that in mind let us look at 3 questions that for many people would fall under the “tricky” category and suitable responses to them.

I’m not the type of person that becomes stressed very easily. However, if in an extreme circumstance I did start to become stressed, I would look to the cause of it and attempt to identify a solution. I would certainly not be afraid to look to others for their input and assistance. In a working environment I think stress comes around from pressurized situations. In such cases the best solution is often one of situation management until the crisis abates. 

What are your weaknesses? How do you overcome them?

How do you feel about your current employer?

I  enjoyed my time at Sample Co Ltd. We parted on very good terms and I still have some great friends there. I learnt a lot during my stay at the company it was a very rewarding experience. I decided to leave because I wanted to move to a company with greater ambitions where I could continue to fulfill my career goals.

Overcoming questions like these in a successful manner during your interview will be of great benefit to your chances of getting the job so be prepared for questions like these and showcase your ability to respond to them in a confident manner

5 Tips On How To Conduct Yourself During A Job Interview. 

In todays competitive business environment gaining a job interview can be a difficult task, it is essential therefore that, if granted an interview, you should grasp the opportunity and conduct yourself in a professional manner throughout the process.

1)Take a considered approach to answering questions rather than rushing in with a hurried response.
By this I do not meaning pausing at every question asked, as this will interrupt the natural flow of conversation, however do take a measured approach to answering any tricky questions.

2) Be assertive but never aggressive.
Showing any traits of aggression during a job interview will end any chances you had in being hired.

3) Be confident, but don’t be cocky.
There is a fine line between confidence and cockiness in job interviews, the one difference being confidence is liked and cockiness loathed.

4) Don’t provide scripted answers.
H.R Managers are usually aware of when a candidate is providing a scripted answer rather than their own response, research by all means just don’t provide answers in a monotone manner.

5) Leave in a friendly manner.
No matter how good/bad you think you may have done, when the interview ends maintain eye-contact, provide a firm handshake, a friendly smile and thank the interviewer for his/her time.       

Combine this information along with an earlier post 5 steps to interview success and look forward with confidence to your interview.

Four Questions You Need To Ask Yourself Before Accepting A Counter-Offer.
The temptation of accepting a high counter-offer can make the most adamant of job hunters change their minds and stay with their existing companies, though ,certainly a lucrative option, accepting a counter-offer can come at a price mind you. Before accepting any counter-offer analyze the 4 questions below and make an informed decision thereafter.

1. Is it my annual salary increase arriving early?
Take into consideration the fact that this could be what was earmarked for you in your Annual Review, you should be satisfied from your discussions with HR that this is not the fact.

2. Why did it take such drastic action as my threatened resignation for my abilities to recognized?
Your salary may be increased but yet it took the possibility of you leaving the company for them to recognize your talent,

3. Have I tarnished my promotion possibilities?
Employers prefer to evade promoting disloyal employees, who (in their mind) may accept tempting offers elsewhere, so think long and hard about accepting the counter-offer if promotion is on your mind.

4. Will the core reasons that I looked elsewhere still exist if I accept the counter-offer?
If you were looking for a company nearer home to avoid traffic, then accepting a counter-offer will not address this issue for you. Ensure you do no not accept a counter-offer based on salary increases alone, they should be based on the resolution of whatever issue made you see work elsewhere at the outset.

While a counter-offer may appear attractive at the outset, spend time resolving the answers to the above questions before accepting it.

Salary Negotiation Tips For An Annual Review

Most employees have yearly salary review meetings, these meetings provide the ideal opportunity for you to gain an increase in salary, just knowing how to do it is the important part. Don’t treat the meeting like an informal chat with a colleague, you should prepare for an annual review meeting with the same professionalism as you would with your first interview. Your preparation should begin by absorbing the 4 points of advice below to help you be best prepared for your review.

Explain why you are worth the increase you seek.
-provide a dossier of information for the HR Manager this pack allows him/her to “visualize” your achievements, if sales are up 25% since you joined the sales team show him/her the figures, likewise if costs have been curtailed thanks to your input then the HR Manager needs to know this.

Describe why you feel you are being underpaid.
-provide examples from salary surveys (bring them with you) and explain that with your experience you feel you are worth more.

Have a Plan B ready.
-if your request is met with a “I’m really sorry but we have a pay freeze at present” response then look towards other perks until the freeze is lifted. These perks could include, a reduction in your hours, extra vacation days etc. You should also ask to have your review meeting again once the freeze on pay is lifted, otherwise you could be waiting another 12 months for your next salary review.

Outline your future plans.
-this is a great way to help with your salary review, explain what your future plans are regarding your role in the company (for example- ways to gain more sales,how to win more customers etc.), this display of forward-planning will be looked upon favorably by the HR Manager.

Be prepared for questions on your performance over the last 12 months and no matter how frustrated you get, remember how important it is to maintain a friendly demeanor throughout your meeting. Not everyone gets a salary increase at these meetings, but you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t prepare yourself to the best of your ability and approached these meetings in a confident manner.

Preparing For Difficult Job Interview Questions

Most of you will be familiar with the phrase that “it is not the questions that are difficult, it is the answers” and this 100% correct when it comes to giving a job interview. Job applicants should have a firm grip as to what are perceived to be common difficult questions with examples such as:

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why is there a gap on your resume, could you not find employment?
• Why should I hire you,what sets you apart from other applicants?
• Where do you see yourself being in 5 years time?
• Why are you leaving your current job?

Job applicants need to not only be prepared and have answers to the questions already mentioned above, but can do themselves a huge favor by preempting what the interviewer might ask on the day of the interview. You can do this by scrutinizing your resume and try to pick up questions you would ask if interviewing yourself, be sure to be thorough. Once you have preempted the questions that you think you could be asked then write them down, add them to the questions above and use this as your blueprint for interview preparation.

A final note of advice to those of you who may have included “Opera”, “Theater” or other areas of fine arts to your “Interests and Hobbies” section of your resume, have a “favorite” in mind because as interviews wind down it is not uncommon for the interviewer to end things in an affable manner and ask questions such as “I see you are a fan of opera, what is your favorite?”. If you get stuck answering that, he/she may think that it is more than hobbies that you are bluffing on. Until next time happy job-hunting folks.

In todays economic climate competition for jobs gets tougher by the day so knowing where to look for vacancies is critical if you are to eventually find employment. However despite the doom and gloom that engulfs us there are jobs out there waiting to be snapped-up, just knowing where to find them is the vital ingredient, hopefully this post today will shed some light on that for you.

1. Employment Agencies / Headhunters/ Recruitment Agencies.
Do some research on the internet to find out if there is an employment agency that specializes in your business sector. If there is then register with them, chances are that they get the vacancies before general employment agencies. If a company is looking for IT Programmer, for example, they will approach, and will in all likelihood already have relationships, with IT Agencies. However you should still register with a general employment agency to keep your options open, register with no more than 2 to 3 companies.

Tip: find out how many recruiters work in your business-sector, an employment agency with 10 working in their IT team (for example) will generally have more vacancies than that of an agency with 3 in their IT team.

2. Job Websites
Jobs are added on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis to these websites, such as Monster, CareerBuilder etc, they are used by both employers and agencies alike and should be your first port of call when job-hunting.

3. Careers Section On Company Websites
With companies eager to cut-back costs they may forfeit the luxury of having recruitment agencies hire on their behalf and instead try to recruit directly themselves. Should this be the case then those companies will be adding jobs to the “Careers” section of their websites, so keep a sharp eye on the websites of companies that your skills are most suited, as should jobs come available they will go up there before anywhere else.

4.Newspapers and Trade Magazines
Despite the growth of online newspapers you should not overlook print media in your career search. Depending on your industry, vacancies can be found in amongst the classified advertisements along with the
business/jobs supplements that most papers provide. Trade magazines are a great way of finding contacts to help with your job search.

5. Social Networking Sites
Sites such as LinkedIn, Jobster, CraigsList and many more, provide a wealth of opportunities to connect with professionals and find open jobs so market yourself well, just don’t come across in a pushy manner.

Nowadays job applicants have to extremely proactive in order to find jobs so don’t limit yourself to sending your resume out and hoping for the best, instead take the time to find where the true open vacancies exist and focus you attention on them.

While some people can be fraught with nerves on the day of an interview, others cannot wait for their opportunity to impress and get the job. Irrespective of which category of job-hunter that you fall into, here are some tips on what you should do on the day of the interview.

1. Know your resume inside out.
Try not to have to refer to your resume for information when replying to a question. You should be focused on maintaining eye-contact with your interviewer, answering questions while looking directly at the interviewer will show confidence and professionalism, two traits sure to enhance your application.

2. Know where you are going.
You should never be late for a job interview so if you are unsure of where the company is located then take a dry-run the night before to find their location. You may need to allow for traffic differences depending on the time of your dry-run

3. Go easy on the perfume or cologne.
Bear in mind that you are not going on a date, you are going to an interview so don’t have the interviewer remembering you for how you smelled, have him/her remembering you for what you said.

4. Bring an interview pack with you.
This should include copies of your resume, examples of your work and testimonials along with the job specification.

5. The waiting room
Try to remain calm as you wait for your turn to be called in for interview. Should you be wearing headphones then take them off, relax, try to put on a confident demeanor and be polite to everyone you meet from the receptionist who greets you through to everyone else in the waiting room, after all the interviewer could be there waiting for the interview room to become free.

Your job interview offers a chance for you to showcase your ability and convey to the interviewer why you are the right person for the job so look forward to it with confidence not apprehension.